Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said the recently concluded Monsoon Session of Parliament was successful from a legislative standpoint, with 12 bills being passed, but acknowledged that it fell short in terms of debate and discussion.
Addressing the media after the session ended, Rijiju said the government assessed the session from two different perspectives. While the legislative agenda progressed as planned, disruptions in both Houses affected overall productivity.
"In terms of business, it was a very successful session; we passed a total of 12 bills. However, from the perspective of debate and discussion, it was not as successful," Rijiju said.
He noted that the Lok Sabha recorded 19 per cent productivity compared with the total time allotted, while the Rajya Sabha registered 39 per cent productivity.
According to the minister, opposition parties repeatedly disrupted proceedings and occasionally staged walkouts. However, he said that members of the ruling NDA and some opposition MPs continued to participate in debates and discussions.
Rijiju also highlighted that only one bill received a full-fledged discussion in the Lok Sabha during the session.
He said the legislation aimed at preventing paper leaks and curbing the use of unfair means in examinations was thoroughly debated in both Houses of Parliament. "The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act was passed during this session. This legislation was discussed in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha," he added.
Parliament logjam
The Monsoon Session, which began on July 20, witnessed prolonged disruptions in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha as opposition parties continued their protests over several issues.
The protests initially focused on the NEET paper leak and allegations of financial irregularities involving donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The opposition later expanded its demands, seeking a discussion on the police action against students protesting the NEET paper leak. It also insisted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah be present in the House and issue statements on the matter.
In an effort to end the deadlock, the government on Monday proposed a debate on the NEET paper leak and related issues, with Shah offering to respond to the discussion. However, the Congress rejected the proposal.
A similar attempt on Wednesday also failed after the principal opposition party once again declined the government's offer. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said the younger generation wanted answers about who had ordered the use of pellet guns against protesting students.
Gandhi said the opposition was not interested in listening to what he described as Shah's "imagination and lecture" in Parliament.
He further argued that if Shah had authorised the police action against the students, he was responsible for it, and if he had not, it reflected a failure of leadership. "In both cases, he should resign," Gandhi said.
Also Read:
